Attachment goes to court: child protection and custody issues

Attachment theory and research are drawn upon in many applied settings, including family courts, but misunderstandings are widespread and sometimes result in misapplications. The aim of this consensus statement is, therefore, to enhance understanding, counter misinformation, and steer family-court utilisation of attachment theory in a supportive, evidence-based direction, especially with regard to child protection and child custody decision-making. The article is divided into two parts. In the first, we address problems related to the use of attachment theory and research in family courts, and discuss reasons for these problems. To this end, we examine family court applications of attachment theory in the current context of the best-interest-of-the-child standard, discuss misunderstandings regarding attachment theory, and identify factors that have hindered accurate implementation. In the second part, we provide recommendations for the application of attachment theory and research. To this end, we set out three attachment principles: the child’s need for familiar, non-abusive caregivers; the value of continuity of good-enough care; and the benefits of networks of attachment relationships. We also discuss the suitability of assessments of attachment quality and caregiving behaviour to inform family court decision-making. We conclude that assessments of caregiver behaviour should take center stage. Although there is dissensus among us regarding the use of assessments of attachment quality to inform child custody and child-protection decisions, such assessments are currently most suitable for targeting and directing supportive interventions. Finally, we provide directions to guide future interdisciplinary research collaboration

Analysis of accidents in the construction industry in Italy

The work aims to analyze the evolution of injury data in the construction sector following the implementation of European legislation in the 90's in the Italian corpus. The previous Italian legislation did not provide for the safety planning and design, but was intended to prevent the risk of accidents with the merely application of the law prescriptions. With the implementation of European Directives and the introduction of the Coordination & Safety plan, the Italian legislation adopted a new approach for safety management. The present work analyzes the official data collected by INAIL (National Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work) measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the new rules applied on different workplaces with particular reference to the construction industry. The work correlates the data with the trend of GDP produced by the industrial sectors and not referring to the absolute number of accidents. The work shows also the amount of economic and social costs of accident

HIV-1 antibody serum negativity with urine positivity

7 individuals who were negative for HIV-1 antibody in a licensed serum enzyme immunoassay (EIA) were positive in a urine EIA and western blot (WB). Follow-up in individuals by use of a cell-mediated immune response showed 1 positive and 1 negative for HIV-1 peptide reactivity. In a second study, 4 out of 5 subjects positive by urine EIA and indeterminate or negative by serum WB were HIV-1 peptide positive in the cell-mediated immune test. Comparison of cell-mediated responses with urine antibody responses may help to resolve discrepant HIV-1 results. Lancet 1993; 342: 1458-59

Disturbance in respiratory mechanics in infants with bronchiolitis.

The passive flow-volume and partial forced expiratory flow-volume techniques were used to assess pulmonary function in 14 spontaneously breathing infants with acute respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis. Two additional infants were studied while paralysed and ventilated. During the acute stage of the illness there was a significant reduction in forced expiratory flow rates and an increase in respiratory resistance. Although the mean thoracic gas volume for the group was increased, five infants did not compensate for their airways obstruction by hyperinflation. Curvilinear passive flow-volume curves were seen in three of the 14 non-ventilated infants and in both ventilated infants. At follow up three to four months later all passive flow-volume curves were linear. There was a significant reduction in hyperinflation and an increase in forced expiratory flow rates, but values still differed significantly from those in normal infants